This is a link to the Utah public safety community members who were impacted while in the call to duty. They responded and dealt with the clan type meth labs in the years before we knew as much about the dangerous chemical mixtures involved.

My condolences go out to the unsung heroes who risked their lives to protect and serve. It is unfortunate that so many suffer odd cancers etc, and some have passed away from the exposure.

Thank you for protecting and serving.
I hope now that leadership in public safety steps up to the plate to care for you and your family medical needs.

Never Forget the members of public safety who have died and continue to suffer from past meth lab exposure!

well it isnt just in Utah. Im just waiting for something to happen to me from all my exposure. Now anytime I smell the smallest amount of Iodine My heads hurts pretty bad, its like it triggers it! After the first year of working labs I started getting real bad headaches, and now I have to carry around an injection of meds to stop them. Im not sure if its from he labs or what, I really dont talk to the dock much about work you no!!

well it isnt just in Utah. Im just waiting for something to happen to me from all my exposure. Now anytime I smell the smallest amount of Iodine My heads hurts pretty bad, its like it triggers it! After the first year of working labs I started getting real bad headaches, and now I have to carry around an injection of meds to stop them. Im not sure if its from he labs or what, I really dont talk to the dock much about work you no!!

Sorry for your suffering. I hope that if it is clan lab related as a cleanup worker, then the state, feds, city, have some plans in place for medical care. Thanks for protecting and serving.

BE Safe!

Never Forget the members of public safety who have died and continue to suffer from past meth lab exposure!

I have been out of LO for 7 years but I worked hundreds of labs in the 90's and did several things unknowingly that now I cringe over thinking back. For example: I was determined to breastfeed my newborn so in 96 I went into the meth labs processed the scene and then went out to my car and pumped breast milk for my baby. I did that for 4 months before I ran across an article that my supervisor gave me and to my horror began to realize how harmful these chemicals were that I ,and all the other officers on the squad, routinely came across. My daughter was diagnosed with asthma at 15 months and I have always wondered if it was something I unkowningly exposed her to. I pray to God it wasn't. It wasn't until 97 maybe even 98 that we started getting help from the DEA with masks, and other protective gear which was slow coming. I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor in 99. It was a pituitary tumor that stayed the same size over several years as they watched it on MRI's every year. So, now they MRI me every 2 years since it really hasn't grown or changed. It's the migraines that are most problematic and being tired all the time. I used to carry the Imitrex injection but have switched to Maxalt disolvable tabs. My partner was experiencing some of the same symptoms I was having but he was transfered back to his police department and wasn't exposed nearly as often after his 6 months with us. His doctor did an MRI of the brain also looking for a pituitarytumor.......I found this out from his wife whom I was good friends with, not from him, because we never made the connection that our symptoms may have been due to the exposure. His MRI was negative but they found something else in his blood results that was very odd. I don't think either of us would want to try to prove that our symptoms were from meth lab exposure but we both believe they are.

So what are police departments doing now for protective gear? I hope they have made much progress and officers are not breathing in the fumes hot or not. Towards the end of my narcotics days we started using masks if the lab was hot. But, tactically that really cut down on our peripheral vision. The first time we had to wear them for a raid I collided with our drug dog because I never saw him coming on my right. But as soon as we shut the lab down we took our masks off and processed the scene with just our gloves and Tyvek jump suits.

When a bride and groom tied the knot in December, they asked wedding guests to skip the gifts and, instead, donate money to help officers who have been exposed to dangerous meth labs.

The couple came up with the idea when the groom's good friend and fellow police officer died two years ago. The groom believed the death was related to his friend's exposure to chemicals while breaking up more than 150 meth labs. To date, the couple has raised more than $10,000.

Stan and Tammy Egan say the gifts keep coming in. The money raised goes directly to officers waiting to get treatment, as well as to the families of those who have died from meth exposure.

The couple tied the knot one month ago today. It was a traditional Irish wedding but with an untraditional cause. Tammy said, "The good thing is to hear what it has meant to the officers, that they are not forgotten, and that it did mean something to them. Our goal was achieved, we gave them an opportunity to come and celebrate. We had a wonderful time at the wedding. We had no idea that it would turn into something like this. The attention is surprising. It's amazing."

The Egans received their first wedding gift before the wedding: a $5,000 check. Now with a total of more than $10,000, the ball keeps rolling. Stan said, "We expected it to be the end of it, and then another person picks up the ball."

Santaquin City Council member Martin Green heard what Stan and Tammy were doing and wanted to help. He raised $850. "These police officers put their lives on the line every day for us here in Utah. Some way, small as it is, to help repay them for what they do as citizens," said Green.

Stan says there is a critical window of time exposed officers have to get the help they need. He hopes the money they've raised so far will help brighten the futures of struggling officers the way Tammy has his in their first month as husband and wife. "We made it a month. No one thought it would last this long. We've done very well," Stan said.

Tammy agrees. She said, "We're very happy. It's been a great time. We've had a lot of fun. It's nice to be happy, and it's nice to be able to share that happiness with others."

For more information on the detoxification project or what you can do to help, go to the related links.

Never Forget the members of public safety who have died and continue to suffer from past meth lab exposure!

IN MEMORY OF UTAH WARRIOR - I Have not forgotten even though I never knew you! Rest in Peace.******************************************

Midvale police mourn colleague
Cancer that claimed officer blamed on meth in drug raids
By Pat Reavy
Deseret Morning News
Published: May 31, 2006
MURRAY — Midvale police detective Jose G. Argueta was laid to rest Tuesday with full honors in an emotional ceremony that included a large police procession consisting of officers from across Utah.
Argueta, 32, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer 16 months ago. It is believed he contracted the aggressive cancer after being exposed to meth labs during his years working with the SWAT team and drug enforcement. He died at his house Thursday.

Rather than a hearse, the Midvale Police Department's SWAT truck, draped with black sheets, carried Argueta's coffin from Hillcrest High School — under an American flag hanging between two ladder trucks from local fire departments — across 900 East to his final "off-load" at the Murray Cemetery.

Even when Argueta became too sick to safely enter a house with his SWAT team comrades, they let him drive the truck to their missions so he could be part of the team. Midvale Police Sgt. Steve Shreeve joked that "Rocky Mountain pinstripes" were now permanent fixtures on the sides of the truck thanks to Argueta's maneuvering.

But also inside the truck, Argueta's hook that he hung his equipment on — and his name tag under the hook — will forever remain vacant as a memorial to him.

"Tomorrow when the SWAT truck is out, he'll be with us, watching," Shreeve said.

Argueta was born in Guatemala City in 1974. He graduated from Kearns High School in 1992 and was hired by the Midvale Police Department in 1995.

Funeral services were held at Hillcrest High School's auditorium because of the large turnout.

Friends and family members remembered Argueta as a top-notch cop and a man with a big heart.

"He was very dedicated and passionate about his work," Shreeve said. "It's a privilege for us here today to honor our brother."

Words such as "big," "strong" and "tenacious" were used in remembering Argueta. He was also a man who loved his wife, brothers and all his family members, friends said.

Argueta was further remembered as the guy with the "big toothy grin" who was always smiling and pulling practical jokes.

"The pranks became something I looked forward to, almost on a daily basis," Shreeve said. "Even on his final day he was pulling pranks."

Argueta's best friend, Cecil Hawthorne, said even on his final day, Jose's spirits were high. He credited Argueta for helping him get through his tour of duty in Iraq with his positive words.

"We are proud of my son, who performed his duty as an officer for the benefit of society," said his father, Luis E. Argueta. "I know he's in God's hands."

After funeral services, officers lined up from the entrance of the high school to the SWAT truck and saluted as the American flag-draped coffin was carried to the truck. Behind the coffin walked his widow, Erika, and Argueta's mother, Yolanda H. Salazar.

At the cemetery, officers lined the pathway from the truck to the grave site and saluted as the coffin was placed in its final resting place.

A last call was broadcast in honor or Argueta by police dispatchers. The flag over his coffin was presented to Erika Argueta. Special coins from the SWAT team and police department were placed inside the folded flag. Another flag was presented to his mother.

Following a 21-gun salute, helicopters from Life Flight, Air Med and the Utah Department of Public Safety flew over the grave site in a "missing man" formation.

"Jose, we pray your journey to heaven was a good one. We know you are in the presence of our Heavenly Father," said Jose's brother and Murray police officer Luis A. Argueta as he delivered the grave-side dedication. "Even though your body is gone, your spirit is still with us. We love you so very much."

In tears, Luis A. Argueta then kissed his brother's coffin and joined the rest of his family in a large hug when the funeral was over.

Argueta became the first Midvale police officer ever buried with full honors.

"He was a marvelous officer," said Midvale Police Chief Gerald Maughn. "We tried to give him the respect he deserves."

Maughn also thanked the Sandy and West Jordan police departments, who patrolled Midvale's streets and covered their calls Tuesday afternoon so all of Midvale's officers could attend the funeral.

Never Forget the members of public safety who have died and continue to suffer from past meth lab exposure!

This article and links are a history to past harm of public safety employees exposed to methamphetamine labs. Also great links to help those effected and contact numbers for treatment.
May God Bless All who suffer from and have died due to exposure!
84 UTAH COPS sick and dieing from Meth Lab exposures

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=309&sid=78242

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=177383

Many still suffer, some gave their lives to protect and serve us.

Currently there are at least 84 known victims of meth lab exposure most of them police officers, fire and other first responders.

The worst part is they have mostly been abandoned by the system that they sometimes gave their lives to serve and protect.

I will not forget them.

UTAH Police Suffer from Meth Lab Exposure

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=309&sid=77026

THE LAW SUIT

The study. Does anyone know if anything was ever found out, or was it swept under the rug?

DID THE STATE TAKE RESPONSIBILTY for those who protect and serve all of us?

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=169947

Something Killing Cops Part three

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=309&sid=78202

Utah Police Suffer from Meth Lab Exposure

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=238&sid=173949

A governmental perspective response to online forum

Some Have given their lives, many have suffered. I HAVE NOT Forgotten. Amen.

My prayers go out to the families and coworkers. This is a saga which unfortunately has not ended.

May this saga not continue across America with the Meth Pandemic.

The need to deal with Meth lab Exposure case histories

February Power Series RaisesMeth Issue Awareness

VCPI looks forward to Street Gang Awareness Power Series in June

BY ADAM BRACEY, VCPI LEAD INSTRUCTOR

NOTES FROM THE CLASSROOM

VCPI STARTED OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH ANOTHER

POWER SERIES SUCCESS,

Combating the Methamphetamine Crisis, held on February 7th

in Radford, Virginia. Co

Instructors Sergeant Jim Gerhardt of the Thornton, Colorado

Sheriff’s Office and retired Sergeant Nicola Erb,shared their

practical experience and knowledge gained through years of

investigating clandestine methamphetamine laboratories. They

coupled that experience and knowledge with findings from

studies that they have been involved with evaluating the effects of

exposure to meth labs.

Both Jim and Nicola have done extensive work with the

National Jewish Medical Research Center studying the effects of

exposure to meth labs as well as working toward implementing

the Drug Endangered Children’s program in Colorado (visitwww.nationaldec.org for more information).

The broad scope of both instructors helped to bring Virginia’s

law enforcement professions up to date on meth lab investiga-

tion, the inherent dangers associated with labs, the impact ofmeth on victims, and proactive measures to help them.

When a bride and groom tied the knot in December, they asked wedding guests to skip the gifts and, instead, donate money to help officers who have been exposed to dangerous meth labs.

The couple came up with the idea when the groom's good friend and fellow police officer died two years ago. The groom believed the death was related to his friend's exposure to chemicals while breaking up more than 150 meth labs. To date, the couple has raised more than $10,000.

Stan and Tammy Egan say the gifts keep coming in. The money raised goes directly to officers waiting to get treatment, as well as to the families of those who have died from meth exposure.

The couple tied the knot one month ago today. It was a traditional Irish wedding but with an untraditional cause. Tammy said, "The good thing is to hear what it has meant to the officers, that they are not forgotten, and that it did mean something to them. Our goal was achieved, we gave them an opportunity to come and celebrate. We had a wonderful time at the wedding. We had no idea that it would turn into something like this. The attention is surprising. It's amazing."

The Egans received their first wedding gift before the wedding: a $5,000 check. Now with a total of more than $10,000, the ball keeps rolling. Stan said, "We expected it to be the end of it, and then another person picks up the ball."

Santaquin City Council member Martin Green heard what Stan and Tammy were doing and wanted to help. He raised $850. "These police officers put their lives on the line every day for us here in Utah. Some way, small as it is, to help repay them for what they do as citizens," said Green.

Stan says there is a critical window of time exposed officers have to get the help they need. He hopes the money they've raised so far will help brighten the futures of struggling officers the way Tammy has his in their first month as husband and wife. "We made it a month. No one thought it would last this long. We've done very well," Stan said.

Tammy agrees. She said, "We're very happy. It's been a great time. We've had a lot of fun. It's nice to be happy, and it's nice to be able to share that happiness with others." For more information on the detoxification project or what you can do to help, go to the related links.

Assistance for those effected by meth lab exposure:detox.org/press.html">http://www.utah-detox.org/press.htmlhttp://www.utah-detox.org/articles/051708_PEcomARTICLE.pdf

Never Forget the members of public safety who have died and continue to suffer from past meth lab exposure!